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Cancer survivor adaptation model: conceptualizing cancer as a chronic illness
Author(s) -
Naus Mary J.,
Ishler Marilyn D.,
Parrott, Charlotte E.,
Kovacs Stephanie A.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/jclp.20622
Subject(s) - psychology , adaptation (eye) , context (archaeology) , cancer survivorship , cognition , quality of life (healthcare) , cancer , cancer survivor , psychotherapist , survivorship curve , psychological adaptation , clinical psychology , social psychology , developmental psychology , psychiatry , medicine , paleontology , neuroscience , biology
A model of cancer as a chronic illness is proposed as a new direction for quality of life research. In the cancer survivor adaptation (CSA) model, adjustment to cancer survivorship is a life‐long process involving three interacting components. Personal context incorporates cancer survivorship and personal characteristics across biological, psychological, and social domains. The adaptation process involves a specific cognitive mechanism of change, where the ongoing appraisal of goals and world assumptions occur in the context of the cancer survivor's personal memories and sense of self. Finally, quality of life outcomes are viewed as multidimensional and personally weighted for importance, with expectations for both positive and negative physical, emotional, cognitive, and spiritual adjustments over time. Research and clinical implications are explored. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol 65: 1–10, 2009.